


Tattered Clothes and Bloody Noses

by FaramirsBlessing



Series: Shishou and His Waif [2]
Category: Rurouni Kenshin
Genre: Gen, Hiko is softer than he thinks he is, Kenshin is smol and dumb, Kenshin trips, bloody noses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2016-11-05
Packaged: 2018-08-29 06:26:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8478748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaramirsBlessing/pseuds/FaramirsBlessing
Summary: Kenshin trips and falls





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hooray! More little Kenshin and Hiko!

“Kenshin, come here.” 

Hiko was sitting by the fire, making a small breakfast for himself and his new student. It was early morning, and, despite the sun beginning to pour through the windows of the hut, Hiko had already decided to keep the fire going throughout the day. Autumn’s chill was growing deeper, so it was colder, and Hiko now had a child to take care of. So the fire was probably a good idea to keep the little waif warm.

When Kenshin didn't move from his little place in the corner, Hiko snorted in annoyance. 

“Kenshin,” he said, raising his voice, “get over here.” 

That seemed to do it. Within moments, Kenshin had thrown off the blanket Hiko had tossed over him and virtually ran to Hiko’s side. But, before he got far, his feet caught on the hem of Hiko’s too big shirt he was still wearing and, with a yelp, he managed land face first on the hard ground. 

“Kenshin!” Before Hiko really knew what he was doing, he’d ran to boy and scooped him up. The ominous crack he’d heard had alarmed him more than he cared to admit, and, in a smooth motion that belied his large frame, he reseated himself next to the fire, Kenshin in his lap. 

He bit his lip and gazed down at the boy, assessing his pale features. He was conscious - thank goodness - but his face was scrunched up in pain, his little eyes swimming with tears. 

And on his face was blood. Lots of it too. All coming from the kid’s nose. 

“Great,” Hiko muttered, and he grabbed an old piece of cloth and placed it over Kenshin’s nose, pressing down hard. Kenshin yelped and grabbed at Hiko’s hand, trying to push him away. “Quit that,” Hiko said, pressing down a little harder. “Your nose is bleeding. Don’t you want it to stop?” 

“Yeah,” the boy said, voice muffled by the cloth. “But it hurts.” 

“Obviously,” Hiko said, rolling his eyes. With a reluctant sigh, he allowed Kenshin to take the cloth with his own hands, holding it tightly over his nose. “You’d better not have broken your nose, kid,” he said. 

“Not my fault,” Kenshin muttered. He winced when Hiko glared at him. “S-Sorry, shishou.” 

Hiko ignored the apology, instead rolling his eyes. 

“It is your fault, Kenshin,” he said. “If you weren't running around and had instead paid attention, you wouldn't be in this mess.” 

Kenshin glared at him but didn't argue, much to Hiko’s amusement. He smirked and made to take Kenshin off his lap, but the boy whined in protest and clutched at Hiko’s long white cape. Hiko opened his mouth to admonish the kid, but Kenshin interrupted. 

“No,” he said. “I wanna stay here. Hurts. Scared.” 

“You’re scared?” 

“Yeah.” Kenshin nodded, one hand clutching at Hiko harder. “I’m scared cause it hurts.” 

Hiko bit his lip and sighed internally, complaining to the heavens *again* that he had such a needy, foolish student. But he didn't move Kenshin. 

“Fine,” he huffed. “You can stay there for now. But you’ll need to grow up soon. Swordsmen don't cling to people.” 

Kenshin nodded and then proceeded to pull himself even closer to Hiko. The man pursed his lips and pushed Kenshin away a bit. He ignored Kenshin’s cry of protest.

“I said you could stay in my lap,” he said. “I don't recall giving you permission to cuddle me. Baka.” 

Kenshin glared at Hiko and the man stifled a laugh. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Hiko purposely avoiding Kenshin’s violet eyes as Kenshin fidgeted in his lap, once and a while making little cries of pain when he brushed his nose too quickly or too roughly. Finally, the boy pulled the bloody cloth from his face and held it out to Hiko. 

“I don’t want that,” the man said. “Put it on the ground.” Kenshin obeyed then looked up at Hiko, blinking his wide, owlish eyes at him. Hiko grimaced. 

The kid’s nose had stopped bleeding but he still looked awful. It was already beginning to swell and Hiko figured Kenshin would probably sport a wonderful, ugly bruise for a while. The bleeding had stopped but the kid had failed at keeping it on the cloth, for drying, sticky blood caked most of his face and had painted his lips, chin, and even his neck an ugly red. 

“Kid, you’re disgusting.” 

Kenshin’s eyes sparked with indignation. 

“That’s mean!” he cried. 

Hiko snorted. 

“So?” When Kenshin made no move to answer, and instead just looked away, Hiko sighed. “There’s some warm water over in the corner,” he said. “Wash up. Afterwards, come back and we’ll eat breakfast.” 

“Y-You’re still going to feed me?” Kenshin blinked at him, eyes wide, and Hiko frowned. 

“Obviously,” he said. “I fed you yesterday, so I’m going to feed you today too. Now on your feet.” 

Hiko managed to get Kenshin off his lap with no protest from the boy, although it took a little effort to pull Kenshin’s little fingers away from his cape. When Kenshin finally stumbled away, kneeling in front a bucket to wipe his face clean, Hiko glanced down at his cape. 

He groaned. 

Kenshin’s fingers, soaked in his own blood, had curled fiercely into his cape, and had promptly ruined the pristine white fabric. Now there was a small, bloody, hand-shaped stain on Hiko’s beautiful cape.

Disgusting. 

He had just washed this too!


End file.
